1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for shampooing, vacuuming or similar cleaning of upholstery, rugs, carpets and the like and particularly, to novel means for quickly efficiently and selectively conditioning the apparatus for performing one or the other of the cleaning operations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The cleaning apparatus described in the aforenoted U.S. Pat. No. 2,499,876 includes a main container and a second container mounted within the main container and adapted to hold a detergent solution. An electrically operated blower fan is arranged with its intake or suction port in communication with the interior of the main container. The discharge port of the blower fan is disconnectably coupled to the interior of the second container so as to pass forced air through said container and the liquid detergent contained therein for providing a foaming, lather or sudsing effect, and for delivering the suds from the second container through a discharge nozzle to means for applying the suds to the article to be cleaned. The main container includes an inlet nozzle to which a suction means may be coupled. After application of the suds to the article to be cleaned has been satisfactorily accomplished, the applied suds are removed from the article by conditioning the apparatus for such suds removal. This is accomplished by disconnecting the second container from the blower fan for preventing air from being forced through the detergent, whereupon operation of the blower fan sucks air through the suction means to the main container for taking up the lather, foam or suds. When dry vacuuming is desired a collection bag is coupled to the discharge port of the blower fan to collect dust and/or dirt. It will thus be seen that when it is desired to shift from one cleaning operation to another it is necessary to change the existing connections to effectively condition the apparatus for the desired operation. This is time consuming and leads to a discontinuity in the cleaning operation; that is, it does not permit rapid, sequential shampooing and suds removal and/or vacuuming and shampooing as the case may be. Efficient cleaning of upholstery, rugs and carpeting requires this continuity, and quick changeover from one clean operation to the other is a necessary feature is achieving same.